Hello! I am Dr. Carrie Hutchinson. Please call me Carrie. I am so excited that you've chosen to learn more about Communication this semester.  My goal is for this to be one of the best classes you've experienced at SBCC, or anywhere!

I've been teaching online for over 20 years- way before the pandemic. I love creating classes that are both rich in material and also totally accessible and user-friendly so that every learner can earn the grade they desire. I have taken every measure possible to create a positive learning experience for you. One way I have done this is to make our course easy to navigate. If at any time you can't find anything, you feel lost, or the format doesn't make sense to you, please ask for help. I am here to ensure that you can successfully navigate and complete the course.
  
A little about my academic background...I have been a professor in the Communication Department at Santa Barbara City College for over 15 years. I currently teach two courses: Interpersonal Communication and Leadership for a Global Society. My master's degree is from California State University Fullerton in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Interpersonal Communication and Persuasion.  My doctorate is from the University of California Santa Barbara, also in Communication Studies with an interdisciplinary emphasis in Psychology and a focus on Intergroup Perception. My research and publications examine the  intersections of various social identities, such as race and gender, and how these identities affect our perceptions of and communication with ingroup and outgroup members.  Writing, both academic and non-academic, is my life's passion, especially about topics that can change people's lives. I was honored to receive the SBCC Faculty Excellence Award in 2023.

I wear many non-scholarly hats, as well! I am a diversity, equity, and inclusion trainer and a community activist and organizer. I co-founded the Santa Barbara Chapter of the national organization Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), which aims to compel people with racial privilege to join the multiracial movement for racial justice with accountability and effectiveness. I also founded a Santa Barbara Chapter of Together Women Rise, which generates financial backing for female entrepreneurship in developing countries.  I am a parent, a partner, someone's child, and a sibling, which are roles I share in common with many of you. I'm an animal lover and obedient servant to my two dogs, pictured above.  Final fun fact: I'm the lead singer in a band, and I play the keytar (an instrument from the 80's, for those of you who don't know). 

I believe that learning about the topics in this course will change your life for the better. By the end of the course, I hope you agree! I look forward to learning more about you and having a great semester. Please contact me any time at [email protected].

P.S. Get to know me better by listening to this episode of the SBCC Vaquero Voices Podcast, where I talk about the discipline of Communication, my various passions within the field (and outside of academia), and how I serve as a change agent for a better world.